Hearing aids are used by a large number of people to help restore their hearing to a suitable level. Whether the hearing loss was caused by an accident, excessive loud noise, old age, a genetic abnormality or the like, the hearing aid allows these people to overcome their disability and become a full functioning member of society. Current electronic technology allows hearing aids to be extremely small which affords discretion for the user as well. However, their small nature also makes battery replacement very difficult, especially for those with reduced vision and dexterity. This is especially ironic since the typical hearing aid wearer is often afflicted with these other disabilities as well. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which batteries in hearing aids can be easily replaced.
Several attempts have been made in the past to design a tool for assisting in the removal and replacement of hearing aid batteries. U.S. Pat. No. 5,288,119 in the name of Crawford discloses an apparatus for removing and replacing small batteries in electronic devices such as hearing aids. The invention has a housing in which a reciprocating shaft is placed, with a magnet at one end. When the reciprocating shaft is placed in its extended pickup position, the magnet is brought close to the end of the housing, and into contact with the battery or other magnetic object. Once in contact with the object, the apparatus may be used for manipulation. Once the object is placed where it is to be left, the reciprocating shaft may be moved to a retracted position, weakening the magnetic field, and holding the battery to the end of the apparatus. The reciprocating shaft is moved and locked into its extended and retracted positions with a rotating ratchet mechanism operated with a thumb of the hand that holds the apparatus. A shim in separable parts of the housing makes adjustment of the terminal end position of the magnet possible. A non-magnetic shield member or barrier layer surrounding the magnet at the tip effectively blocks the lateral attraction force so that only the object desired is picked up without disturbing surrounding objects. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to open the battery door of a device.
U.S. Pat. No. 5,348,359 in the name of Boozer discloses an electromagnetic pick-up retriever tool having a number of interchangeable accessories to assist in locating, illuminating, viewing and retrieving both magnetic and non-magnetic objects such as small mechanical parts. The tool has a pistol-like handle which contains the power source and circuitry and which has a receptacle which selectively receives various attachments such as a bendable/reformable wand having an electromagnet at the end. Illuminating lights and fiber optic viewers may be selectively attached to the device. Unfortunately, this prior art example does not remove and install batteries in small devices.
U.S. Pat. No. 6,039,185 in the name of Pedracine discloses a thin flexible sheet of PETG or similar plastic with a disk shaped body with a number of radially protruding petals. The outer perimeter of one side of the inserter is coated with a pressure sensitive adhesive. A hearing aid battery with its connected selectively-gas-permeable tab is adhered to each of the inserter petals. Each petal has a small through hole positioned in alignment with the vent hole on the battery, which permits exchange of gases through the semipermeable tab. A battery is inserted into a hearing aid while attached to the inserter by gripping the inserter between the thumb and forefinger, and positioning the battery into an adjacent hearing aid battery compartment and then separated from the inserter by a sliding or wiping motion. The inserter is retained in a container fixed by removable side strips to a backing card. Unfortunately, this prior art example is not designed to open the battery door of a device.
None of the prior art particularly describes a hearing aid battery removal tool for assisting in the removal and replacement of hearing aid batteries. Accordingly, there is a need for a means by which batteries in hearing aids can be easily replaced. The present invention satisfies such a need by providing a tool that is convenient and easy to use, lightweight yet durable in design, and designed for assisting in the removal and replacement of hearing aid batteries. The present invention is simple to use, inexpensive, and designed for many years of repeated use.